Former Suffolk chief detective Stewart Gull, who led the hunt for the 2006 'Suffolk Strangler' who killed five prostitutes near Ipswich, told the Leveson media inquiry that newspapers hindered his investigation.

Gull cited several stories he described as "sensationalist" and said they had detracted from his attempts to find the killer.

These stories were "unhelpful, unjustified and unbalanced" he said.

"At the height of these events it was an unnecessary distraction," he added.

The newspapers misled the public that police were looking for a "fat man" or "blue BMW", Gull said - and it took him some time to get the press back on his side.